This invention relates to an apparatus for automatically actuating normally manually operable selector elements and, more particularly, to automatic actuating apparatus finding particular application for use with manually operable postage meter devices.
The development of automatic postage scales has resulted in rapid, accurate determination of postage in the shipment of articles. Typically, an operator merely enters, for example, via a keyboard, the destination of the article to be shipped and its class of shipment. When the article is weighed, these parameters are taken into account to automatically determine the postage for that article which is to be shipped via the selected class of shipment to the selected destination. Thus, such automatic postage scales can be operated easily by relatively untrained personnel. A typical example of one advantageous automatic postage scale is described in detail in copending application Ser. No. 652,843, assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
In the aforementioned application, and as is typical in other automatic postage scales, the computed postage is displayed in monetary units, such as dollars and cents, requiring that an additional step be carried out so that the corresponding postage is affixed to the article. Typically, such postage is derived by the operation of certified postage meters. Heretofore, such derivation of the postage has been obtained by the manual operation of the postage meter. For example, in a conventional postage meter manufactured by Pitney-Bowes Corp., Stamford, Conn., selected levers must be manually moved into positions representing the monetary units of the required postage, as indicated by the automatic postage scale display. Then, a suitable postage notation, such as a printed label, or the like, is produced.
Relying upon an operator as the intermediary to derive the postage indication determined by the automatic postage scale often results in erroneous postage affixed to the article to be shipped. Furthermore, for those facilities wherein the postage scale is situated at one location and the postage meter at another location, additional means must be provided to insure that the postage meter is operated correctly and in accordance with the determined postage for each particular article. Consequently, in this type of facility, the possibility of error is significantly increased.
Therefore, there has been a long-felt need for automatic postage meters which are controlled in conjunction with automatic scales. However, because there are relatively few manufacturers of postage meters, it generally is difficult to integrate the automatic postage scale and postage meter into a fully automated device.